Old Havana – The Oldest City Founded By Europeans
Old Havana surrounds the heart of original Havana city and the positions of walls of original Havana city are contemporary precincts of Old Havana. It is basically a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Site and the name refers to one of the Havana City’s municipalities, Cuba with final’s limits enlarging to west and south outside original city. Old Havana was originally established in the year 1519 by Spanish in natural harbour of Bay of Havana and it became one of the strongest points for treasure laden Spanish Galleons on crossing between Old World and New World. It became one of the major shipbuilding centers in the seventeenth century and was developed in neoclassic and baroque style.
The constricted streets of Old Havana comprises of many apartments according for perhaps as many as 1/3rd of around 3000 apartments found in the city. It is also one of the very old cities formed from the port, the Plaza de Armas and Official Center. Jacques de Sores, French corsair, burned and destroyed the Old Havana. It remained confounded and set on fire, and after the confrontation, Spanish brought troops and began developing walls and fortresses for protecting the city. In here, you will find large ancient monuments, human density, forts, arcade, churches and convents, alleys and palaces.
Some of the major attractions found in Old Havana include The Malecon, Castillo del Morro, La Cabana, San Salvador de la Punta Fortress, Castillo de la Real Fuerza, Catedral de San Cristobal, National Capitol, Plaza de Armas, Museum of the Revolution and San Francisco de la Habana Basilica. Albeit it is today a extensive city of two million residents and the old centre retains interesting mix of neoclassical and Baroque monuments and homogenous ensemble of private homes with internal courtyards, arcades, wrought iron gates and balconies.
There are quite a lot of hotels in Old Havana, which includes Hotel Caribbean, Hotel Lido, Hotel Mesón de la Flota, Hotel Valencia, Hotel Beltran de Santa Cruz, Hotel El Comendador, Hotel Lincoln, Hotel Los Frailes, Hotel Tejadillo, Hotel Ambos Mundos, Hotel Armadores de Santander, Hotel Comodoro, Hotel Florida, Hotel Inglaterra, Hotel Marques de Prado Ameno, Hotel Palacio del Marqués de San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal, Hotel Palacio O’Farril, Hotel Plaza, Hotel Raquel, Hotel San Miguel, Hotel Sevilla, Hotel Telegrafo, Hotel Parque Central, Hotel Santa Isabel and Hotel Saratoga.
You will also find couple of restaurants including the Restaurant Al Medina, Restaurant Los XII Apóstoles, Restaurant El Castillo de Farnés, Restaurant Don Lorenzo, Restaurant Doña Blanquita, Restaurant Doña Isabel, Restaurant La Floridita, Restaurant El Guajirito, Restaurant Jardín del Edén, Restaurant La Marina, Restaurant El Mercurio, Restaurant La Mina / Al Cappuccino, Restaurant Los Nardos, Restaurant La Paella, Restaurant El Portal, Restaurant El Templete, Roof Garden and La Zaragozana. However, there is also a notable complex of approximately seventh to nineteenth century apartments.
